NORMAN, Okla. - Two big innings proved costly Friday for the Missouri Tigers as they opened play in the NCAA Softball Championships with a 9-1 loss to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in a game shortened to five innings by the run-rule.
Tulsa scored five runs in the third inning and added four in the fourth. They scored their five runs in the third on six hits and a walk, then used a grand slam by Rylie Spell in the fourth to account for those four runs.
Missouri plated its lone run in the bottom of the third. The Tigers loaded the bases with nobody out, but got just one run that scored on a groundout by Brooke Wilmes. Four Tigers had one hit each Friday, all singles.
Lauren Rice took the loss for the Tigers, working 22/3 innings. She allowed five earned runs on six hits and a walk while stirking out one. Madi Norman pitched an inning of relief, giving up four earned runs on three hits and three walks. Eli Daniel worked the final 11/3 innings for hte Tigers, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out two.
Missouri (28-28) will face Boston University in an elimination game in the regional hosted by Oklahoma at 6:30 p.m. today. Boston dropped a 9-0 decision to the host Sooners in Friday's second game.